Automatic type-positioning device in photocomposer

ABSTRACT

A dark box with photosensitive material thereon for a photocomposing machine has a rotatable cylinder mounted therein and includes a recording cylinder moveable with respect to axial and rotary movement and also including lens and shutter means for transmitting an image. In combination therewith there is provided an automatic type-positioning device including first magnetic head means mounted on the dark box and moveable therewith. A first reference scale of magnetic material is arranged to store a pulse of the first magnetic head means. First circuit means are provided to transmit a signal representative of an axial position of the rotatable cylinder to a digital counter means. A second magnetic head means moveable in proportion to the rotation of the rotatable cylinder has a pulse thereof stored with a second reference scale of magnetic material. A second circuit means is provided to transmit a signal representative of rotation of the rotatable cylinder to the digital counter means. Automatic switching means establish connection of first or second means with the digital counter means according to operation of the rotatable cylinder. First and second reading head means are provided with first and second memory means storing axial movement respectively rotation of the rotatable cylinder. Means for selectively gating output pulses of the first and second reading head means are provided together with means for operating the shutter means in response to the output pulses.

United States Patent 11 1 Semi et al.

[451 Feb. 11, 1975 AUTOMATIC TYPE-POSITIONING DEVICE IN PHOTOCOMPOSER [76] Inventors: Yasushiro Semi, 5-10-25 Zaimokuza Kamakra, Kanagawa-ken; Kenzo Ogawa, 7-403, 1, Sakurazutsumi 1, Chrome, Tokyo, both of Japan [22] Filed: June 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.2 374,240

Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Atlorney, Agent, or FirmWalter Becker [57] ABSTRACT A dark box with photosensitive material thereon for a photocomposing machine has a rotatable cylinder mounted therein and includes a recording cylinder moveable with respect to axial and rotary movement and also including lens and shutter means for transmitting an image. In combination therewith there is provided an automatic type-positioning device including first magnetic head means mounted on the dark box and moveable therewith. A first reference scale of magnetic material is arranged to store a pulse of the first magnetic head means. First circuit means are provided to transmit a signal representative of an axial position of the rotatable cylinder to a digital counter means. A second magnetic head means moveable in proportion to the rotation of the rotatable cylinder has a pulse thereof stored with a second reference scale of magnetic material. A second circuit means is provided to transmit a signal representative of rotation of the rotatable cylinder to the digital counter means. Automatic switching means establish connection of first or second means with the digital counter means according to operation of the rotatable cylinder. First and second reading head means are provided with first and second memory means storing axial movement respectively rotation of the rotatable cylinder. Means for selectively gating output pulses of the first and second reading head means are provided together with means for operating the shutter means in response to the output pulses.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEBI 119m 3. 866.239

sum 10F z FIG-3 PATENTED FEB] 1 I975 SHEET 8 OF 2 ONQQEQQEQS 9m m hwm n N AUTOMATIC TYPE-POSITIONING DEVICE IN PI'IOTOCOMPOSER BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to automatic type-positioning device in photocomposing machines, and more particularly to a device for automatically establishing type positions in a photocomposing machine.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an automatic type-positioning device which enables a photocomposing machine to carry out typing exactly in predetermined positions by pre-establishing the type positions in a photocomposing machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic type-positioning device which operates to precisely determine the starting position and the terminating position of tabulating lines, in a photocomposing machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic type-positioning device which not only performs the exact positioning of types but also functions in a simple manner to achieve it in a photocomposing machine.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide such an automatic type-positioning device in a photocomposing machine, which can be readily and precisely operated by an operator without requiring a high expertness.

The automatic type-positioning device of the present invention in a photocomposing machine comprises reference means to be used for predetermining type positions, means for digitally displaying the type positions relative to the reference means, memory means for starting the predetermined type positions, means for selectively gating output pulses of the memory means, and means for operating a shutter of the photocomposing machine.

In the automatic type-positioning device of the present invention, said reference means is arranged so as to be capable of generating predetermined pulses at regular predetermined intervals and the means for digitally displaying the position of the reference means is constructed in the form of a counter which acts in cooperation with magnetic heads. The memory means for storing said predetermined type positions is composed of a combination ofthe magnetic heads and magnetic members such as magnetic tapes or wires.

For example, when starting and terminating positions of lines of predetermined lengths are to be determined by the automatic type-positioning device of the present invention for a photocomposing machine, all starting and terminating positions of the lines are recorded in the magnetic members, signals from one of the magnetic heads corresponding to the magnetic member are amplified, and required signals are extracted to operate a magnetic shutter so as to determine the line lengths and the line positions.

Thus according to the present invention, the lengths and positions of lines as pre-programmed in a draft are digitally displayed by pulses (signals) from the magnetic scales and the indicated digital values are read out, whereby the line lengths and positions may be marked on the magnetic members respectively.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, all of the starting and terminating positions of all lines in a draft may be pre-recorded. In such a case, however, since unnecessary registered points are also marked on the same lines, only the starting and terminating points required in the device may be sensed by the magnetic shutter, and other points are removed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Now a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

' FIG. I is a front view of a photocomposing machine associated with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of the device of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram provided for explaining the tabulation using the device of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a partially cut-off front view of a photocomposing machine associated with the device of the present invention. A rotary cylinder 2 for mounting a photosensitive material is mounted in a dark box 1. The cylinder 2 is moved longitudinally together with the dark box 1 so as to be fed laterally. A recording cylinder 3 is provided and arranged so as to be movable in both lateral and vertical directions as the cylinder 2 is moved laterally and vertically, i.e., rotated, through a suitable transmission mechanism. The recording cylinder 3 is associated with a pointer 4 and a graduated member or scale 5 to indicate the longitudinal movement of the cylinder. Images of predetermined figures or symbols on a dial plate (not shown) may be formed on photosensitive paper on the cylinder 2 through a lens 6 and may be typed respectively. The abovedescribed arrangement is well known in the art of the photocomposition.

The automatic type-positioning device of the present invention is particularly applicable to a photocomposing machine of the type described. As schematically shown in FIG. 2, a magnetic head 7 is fixedly secured to the dark box 1 so that it may be moved laterally with the dark box. A magnetic member 8 such as a magnetic tape or piano wire is provided for the magnetic head 7. The magnetic member 8 is secured as a reference scale indicating the position of the dark box 1 moved laterally, and is being magnetized at regular intervals, for example, at intervals of 0.5 mm. along its length. The magnetic head 7 is connected to a pulse detector 10 through a conductor 9 which is connected to a digitaltype counter 12 through a switch 11. Thus when the dark box 1 is moved in the lateral direction, the magnetic head 7 moves therewith along the magnetic member 8, and pulses generated by the magnetic effect of the magnetic member 8 due to its regularly spaced magnetized portions are fed to the counter 12 to display the laterally moved position of the dark box 1,

. therefore, of the cylinder 2 on which a photosensitive material is mounted, in display windows 13 of the counter 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, in order to digitally display the rotation, i.e., the vertical movement of the cylinder 2, in the similar manner as described in connection with the magnetic head 7, another magnetic head 14 which moves in proportion to the rotation of the cylinder 2 and a magnetic member 15 which functions as corresponding reference scale to the magnetic head 14 are provided. The magnetic member 15 is similarly magnetized at predetermined regular intervals as the magnetic member 8 to generate pulses through the magnetic head 14. The magnetic head 14 is connected to a pulse detector 17 through a conductor 16 and is connected switchably to the digital counter 12 through the switch 11. The switch 11 is of the type which opens or closes automatically according to the lateral or vertical movement of the cylinder 2.

A magnetic drum 18 which is turned responding to the lateral movement of the dark box 1, therefore, of the cylinder 2 and a magnetic drum 19 which is turned as the cylinder 2 is rotated, are provided. Magnetic members such as magnetic tapes are respectively mounted to the magnetic drums 18, 19. Magnetic writing heads 20, 21 are arranged relative to the magnetic drums respectively so as to be used in cooperation therewith. The magnetic writing heads 20, 21 are connected to a type-position setting key 25 through a switch 24. Upon the actuation of the key 25, either the writing head 20 or 21 is selectively excited through the switch 24, to store the key actuation in the write head 20 or 21.

The magnetic drums 18, 19 are also associated with magnetic writing heads 26, 27 respectively. The magnetic write heads 26, 27 are connected to a changeover switch 30 respectively through conductors 28, 29. The switch 30 is arranged so that its changeover action is interlocked with either the lateral or the vertical movement of the cylinder 2.

The change-over switch is connected to an amplifier 32 through a conductor 31 while the output of the amplifier 32 is connected to a stepping device 33. The stepping device 33 comprises a rotary solenoid 34 and a clutch 35 and is so arranged that when the solenoid 34 is energized, it moves a rotary disc switch 36 by a predetermined amount to pass current to conductors 38 through a plurality of contacts 37 of the switch 36 (in the illustrated embodiment, the switch 36 has twenty contacts). Each of the conductors 38 from the contacts 37 is connected to a switch 41 of the photocomposing machine through a selector switch 39 and a conductor 40. (The selector switch 39 is shown as having 20 contacts corresponding to the number of the contacts 37 on the rotary switch, the contacts of the selector switch being designated by numerals 1 20 respectively.) Thus the shutter 41 is operated either to be opened or closed, when current is applied thereto through the conductors 38 and the selector switch 39.

With the arrangement as described above, when the cylinder 2 is moved either laterally or vertically according to a draft, the amount of the movement is digitally displayed in the windows 13 of the counter 12. Then when the type-position setting key 25 is operated according to the reading, pulses representing the reading are stored in one of the magnetic drums 18, 19 through the corresponding magnetic head 20 or 21.

In order to carry out the typing operation, the cylinder 2 is returned to its starting position. Then, when the cylinder 2 is moved as desired in the known manner, one of the magnetic drums 18, 19 is turned responding to the movement of the cylinder 2 to feed the stored pulses thereof to the amplifier 32 through its corresponding writing head 26 or 27. The stepping device 33 is turned by the amplified pulsating current to close the contacts of the disc switch 39 in the order as stored in the drum 18 or 19 through the set key 25, thus the pulsating current is passed to the shutter 41 through the contacts to operate it, whereby desired figures are typed on a photosensitive material.

For example, when a table shown in FIG. 3 is desired to be made, a dot on the dial is set to the lens 6. In the lateral feed of the first line A, the starting position I of the line A is set to a predetermined position on the scale by means of the key 25, then the terminating position II of the second line B is set, and finally the terminating position III of the first line A and the third line C is set in the similar manner, thereafter the cylinder is returned to its original position. In the feeding operation of the first line A, when the cylinder 2 is moved or fed laterally after setting the second contact of the selector switch 39 to off, the shutter 41 is opened at the starting position I of the first line A, and as the lateral feed of the line A is continued, the shutter 41 is closed at the terminating position III of the line A. In this manner, the desired first line A begining from I to III is drawn on a photosensitive material. Then the cylinder 2 is moved vertically, i.e., rotated by a desired 1 amount to draw the second line B, and the second contact which has been set to off is set to on." Upon the lateral movement of the cylinder in this state, the shutter 41 is opened at the common starting position I of the second line B and is closed at the terminating position II of the line B as the lateral feed is advance, to discontinue the drawing. The third line C may be drawn in the same manner of drawing the first line A as described.

The description of the operation for drawing the vertical lines E, F and G in the table is omitted since they can be drawn in the same manner of drawing the lateral lines except moving the cylinder vertically instead of moving it laterally.

While a preferred embodiment has been described, variations thereto will occur to those skilled in the art within the scope of the inventive concepts which are delineated by the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. In combination with a photocomposing machine comprising:

a. a dark box which is arranged to move axially,

b. a rotatable cylinder mounted for rotation within said dark box and a photosensitive material mounted thereon,

c. a recording cylinder which is adapted to be moved with respect to axial and rotary movement of said rotatable cylinder, and

d. lens and shutter means for transmitting an image of predetermined figure or symbol in a dial plate,

e. an automatic type-positioning device including:

i. first magnetic head means mounted on said dark box so as to move said head means with said box,

ii. a first reference scale of magnetic material arranged to store a pulse of said first magnetic head means,

iii. a digital counter means,

iv. first circuit means for transmitting a signal which is representative of an axial position of said rotatable cylinder to said digital counter means,

v. second magnetic head means movable in proportion to the rotation of said rotatable cylinder,

vi. a second reference scale of magnetic material arranged to store a pulse of said second magnetic head means,

vii. second circuit means for transmitting a signal which is representative of rotation of said rotatable cylinder to said digital counter means,

viii. automatic switching means for switching the connection of said first or second circuit means with said digital counter means in accordance with the operation of said rotatable cylinder,

ix. first memory means for storing the axial movement of said rotatable cylinder,

x. second memory means for storing the rotation of said rotatable cylinder, xi. first reading head means for reading out the stored information from said first memory means,

xii. second reading head means for reading out the stored information from said second memory means,

xiii. means for selectively gating output pulses of said first and second reading head means, and xiv. means for operating said shutter means in response to said output pulses. 2. The combination with a photocomposing machine,

according to claim 1 in which there are reference means to be used for predetermined type positions relative to the reference means, means for digitally displaying the type positions relative to said reference means, memory means for storing the predetermined type positions, means for selectively gating output pulses of the memory means, and means for operating said shutter means of said photocomposing machine.

3. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 2 wherein said reference means is capable of generating predetermined pulses at regular predetermined intervals.

4. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 3 wherein said digital displaying means is constructed in the form of a counter operative with magnetic heads.

5. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 4 wherein each said memory means is composed of both magnetic heads and magnetic members. 

1. In combination with a photocomposing machine comprising: a. a dark box which is arranged to move axially, b. a rotatable cylinder mounted for rotation within said dark box and a photosensitive material mounted thereon, c. a recording cylinder which is adapted to be moved with respect to axial and rotary movement of said rotatable cylinder, and d. lens and shutter means for transmitting an image of predetermined figure or symbol in a dial plate, e. an automatic type-positioning device including: i. first magnetic head means mounted on said dark box so as to move said head means with said box, ii. a first reference scale of magnetic material arranged to store a pulse of said first magnetic head means, iii. a digital counter means, iv. first circuit means for transmitting a signal which is representative of an axial position of said rotatable cylinder to said digital counter means, v. second magnetic head means movable in proportion to the rotation of said rotatable cylinder, vi. a second reference scale of magnetic material arranged to store a pulse of said second magnetic head means, vii. second circuit means for transmitting a signal which is representative of rotation of said rotatable cylinder to said digital counter means, viii. automatic switching means for switching the connection of said first or second circuit means with said digital counter means in accordance with the operation of said rotatable cylinder, ix. first memory means for storing the axial movement of said rotatable cylinder, x. second memory means for storing the rotation of said rotatable cylinder, xi. first reading head means for reading out the stored information from said first memory means, xii. second reading head means for reading out the stored information from said second memory means, xiii. means for selectively gatIng output pulses of said first and second reading head means, and xiv. means for operating said shutter means in response to said output pulses.
 2. The combination with a photocomposing machine, according to claim 1 in which there are reference means to be used for predetermined type positions relative to the reference means, means for digitally displaying the type positions relative to said reference means, memory means for storing the predetermined type positions, means for selectively gating output pulses of the memory means, and means for operating said shutter means of said photocomposing machine.
 3. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 2 wherein said reference means is capable of generating predetermined pulses at regular predetermined intervals.
 4. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 3 wherein said digital displaying means is constructed in the form of a counter operative with magnetic heads.
 5. The combination with a photocomposing machine according to claim 4 wherein each said memory means is composed of both magnetic heads and magnetic members. 